[The sheer amount of trust that takes to say doesn't escape Tetsuo. He's never been able to admit how much he needs Kaneda. Rather... how much he doesn't want to have to need Kaneda, out of the fear that saying it will make it disappear.
Silence falls, punctuated only by shaky breathing, rapid heartbeats and the creak of leather as all the tenseness leaves his shoulders. Kaneda's left to support his whole weight as Tetsuo drops brokenly against him. If it's a lie... it's one he wants to hear so strongly he can't bear to refuse it.
All these years, it seemed that Kaneda never needed him. He saw the proof of it everywhere; Kaneda had a place, had people who cared, had food and clothing and everything he could ever hope to want here. He found someone better than Tetsuo .. and that was the end of it. All those years of following him around, watching Kaneda do something and then double around to walk Tetsuo through it, or come back to save or help or somehow prove again and again that Tetsuo couldn't do it on his own...
When they parted, Kaneda was fine. Tetsuo knew he wasn't, and looking back... he'd known it for a long time.]
...you really mean that?
[Keep talking, Kaneda. Unlike last time, screaming futilely against pavement as Tetsuo tests his powers... he's listening to what you're really saying.]
no subject
Silence falls, punctuated only by shaky breathing, rapid heartbeats and the creak of leather as all the tenseness leaves his shoulders. Kaneda's left to support his whole weight as Tetsuo drops brokenly against him. If it's a lie... it's one he wants to hear so strongly he can't bear to refuse it.
All these years, it seemed that Kaneda never needed him. He saw the proof of it everywhere; Kaneda had a place, had people who cared, had food and clothing and everything he could ever hope to want here. He found someone better than Tetsuo .. and that was the end of it. All those years of following him around, watching Kaneda do something and then double around to walk Tetsuo through it, or come back to save or help or somehow prove again and again that Tetsuo couldn't do it on his own...
When they parted, Kaneda was fine. Tetsuo knew he wasn't, and looking back... he'd known it for a long time.]
...you really mean that?
[Keep talking, Kaneda. Unlike last time, screaming futilely against pavement as Tetsuo tests his powers... he's listening to what you're really saying.]